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Wednesday, October 18, 2000

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Browns (2-5) at Steelers (3-3): 4:05 p.m. Sunday, Three Rivers Stadium. TV: KDKA; Radio: WDVE-FM (102.5), WWSW-AM (970) and Steelers Radio Network. The Browns are 2-1 against the Steelers since rejoining the NFL.

Larry Tharpe will remain the starting right tackle for at least another game, and rookie Marvel Smith will back up both the left and right tackles.

Tharpe replaced injured Shar Pourdanesh in the first quarter against the Jets on Oct. 8 and started and played the entire game against Cincinnati Sunday.

"He really played pretty well," Coach Bill Cowher said. "I think it will be good for Marvel to get another week of work and to get some confidence back."

Smith started the first three games of the season, but a knee injury knocked him out of the next two. He practiced last week and played a few snaps at left tackle near the end of the game for Wayne Gandy.

Cleveland rookie DE Courtney Brown, who had three sacks against the Steelers Sept. 17, will line up across from Tharpe.

"A couple times we got beat inside quick," Cowher noted of Brown's success against the Steelers in the second game of the season.

Linebacker Joey Porter, who had three sacks, a safety and a hit on the quarterback that forced an interception last Sunday, is one of five finalists for the NFL.com All-Heart player of the week award. Kordell Stewart was a finalist the previous week.

The last time the Steelers and Browns met, Porter blocked Cleveland P Chris Gardocki on a return, which ticked off Gardocki and the Cleveland brass. Gardocki was fined by the league for an obscene gesture. Dwight Clark, the Browns' director of football operations, called the hit premeditated.

It raised a question as to whether Steelers P Josh Miller might be a target this time.

"We'll see what happens," Cowher said. "Josh is very much aware of the situation, trust me."

Cowher was asked if Clark, who accused the Steelers of running up a score in 1999, talks too much.

"That's a good comment by you," Cowher answered.

The Steelers' injury report for this week:

Doubtful -- OT Shar Pourdanesh (knee); questionable -- RB Amos Zereoue (turf toe); Probable -- RB Jerome Bettis (various), C Dermontti Dawson (hamstring), OT Wayne Gandy (biceps), DE Kevin Henry (shoulder), PR Hank Poteat (ankle) and DL Jeremy Staat (shoulder).